Land measuring device



Oct. 16, 1951 F. J. COCHNAR LAND MEASURING DEVICE Filed May 20, 1949Patented Oct. 16, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LAND MEASURING DEVICEFrank J. Cochnar, Dorchester, Nebr.

Application May 20, 1949, Serial No. 94,469

1 Claim. *1

This invention relates to land measuring devices and more particularlyit is an object of the invention to provide a device which is adapted tobe attached to a wheeled-vehicle.

In the harvesting of grain by contract there is often much controversyconcerning the exact size of a piece of ground, the owner maintainingthe size to be smaller than the harvest contractor believes it to be.

This invention provides a land measuring device for attachment to awheeled-vehicle and which is adapted to measure the distance traveled bythe vehicle whereby land can be quickly measured for avoiding disputesand arguments of this nature and for assuring that a harvesting contractbased on the size of the ground will be fair to all parties concerned.

Yet a further object of the invention is to provide a device asdescribed which can be easily installed on a wheeled-vehicle.

A further object of the invention is to provide a land-measuring deviceas described which will not back up or uncount at times when it isnecessary to drive the attached vehicle in a reverse direction.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a device which isadapted to include the use of conventionally mass-produced countingmechanisms for maintaining a low production cost.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device for the purposedescribed which is sturdy and durable in construction, reliable andefiicient in operation, and relatively simple and inexpensive tomanufacture, assemble and utilize.

Other and still further objects and advantages of the invention willbecome apparent from the following detailed description of a preferredembodiment thereof.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a rear elevation of the measuring device of the inventionshown as attached to the hub and axle assembly of a vehicle, certainparts of the assembly being broken away and other parts showing insection, parts of a wheel being shown in dotted lines.

Figure 2 is a view-in-section taken along the line 22 of Figure l, acircular plate of the wheel hub being indicated in Figure 2 by means ofa circular dotted line.

Figure 3 is a detailed view of a lower end portion of an arm, bifurcatedmember, and an end portion of a rod employed, a rest position of a nibon said arm being shown in dotted lines.

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the counting mechanism and reach rodattachment arm, to-

2 gether with a portion of a spindle or stud axle of the wheel of Figure4.

The land measuring device of this invention is adapted for attachment toa harvester, farm vehicle or to an automobile adjacent to the frontwheel thereof. Such a wheel is indicated in dotted lines in Figure l andis provided with a hub I2 which latter is adopted to rotate uponaspindle l4.

A hub extension it of conventional construction is secured to the hub l2by means of bolts 20 which latter also secure the wheel ill to the hubl2. The extension 16 is conventionally provided with a plate 24 which isadapted to rotate in a vertical plane.

The plate 24 and extension I 6 both rotate about the spindle [4 whichlatter is rigidly secured to a C-shaped spindle attachment member oryoke 28. The member or yoke 28 is provided with apertures 30 forreceiving a bolt for attachment to the front axle of a vehicle, as isconventional with certain farm vehicles as well as with automobiles. Aplate 34 is disposed between the member 28 and the spindle I 4 forpurposes of spacing the C-shaped member 28 from the hub extension I6,and for reasons later described.

The C-shaped member 28 is provided with a rearwardly extending rodattachment arm 34, as is conventional, the latter having a reach rodattachment aperture 36.

In accordance with this invention, a mounting member 46 is secured tothe wheel attachment member 28 by means of bolts 42 and a backing plate46. The member 40 is disposed on the outer side of the extension plate34 and the inward plate 46 is disposed on the inner side of the C-shaped member 28. The bolts 42 secure the members 40 and 46 togetherrigidly on the C-shaped member 28.

The member 40 is provided with a platform portion 50 extending at aright angle with respect thereto horizontally above the remainderthereof. The purpose of the platform portion 50 is to uphold a. countingdevice secured thereto.

The counter 60 may be one of many kinds available upon the market andhas a rotatable, outwardly extending shaft 62 and an upwardly disposedwindow 64 for the purpose of revealing numerals 66 which latter indicatethe number of times the shaft 62 has been actuated.

In accordance with this invention a downwardly extending arm 70 isprovided and is pivotally secured to the members 40 and 46 by means ofan axle H and nut 12. The arm 10 is disposed between the filler plate 34and hub plate 24.

or stud 80 which latter extends inwardly'of the vehicle from the plate24 in a position spaced outwardly from the spindle I 4.

A flexible resilient rod 90 is provided having a forked member 92 on itslower end for receiving a nib or pin 94 on the lower end of the arm 10.The rod 90 extends forwardly, then rearwardly, in a substantiallyU-shaped configuration, being secured by means of a clamp member 95 onits upper end to the axle or shaft 62 of the counting member 60.

In operation, it will be seen that, as'the wheel l rotates, the nut 80willrotate with it in the' direction of the arrow I00.

As the nut 8i] revolves; it strikesthe arm Ill causing the nib fi l'totravel from the dotted line position thereof shown inFigure 3'to aposition pushing upwardly and forwardly on the forked member 92 forurgingthe'arm 90' in a'counterclockwise direction, rotating the shaft 62for causing the num'er'alsfifi to count'motions of the rod 96, arm 10,and revolution of the nut 86.

It will be seen that; since the circumference of that wheel H] can bedetermined, the distance traveled can be'computed' from' the numberofwheel revolutions read in the window '64.

As a summary, this invention has provided a land-measuring device, ofgreat accuracy, simplicity of construction, reliability, durability, andof great value to harvestcontractors.

From the foregoing description it is thought to be obvious that a landmeasuring device constructedin accordance with my invention isparticularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience andfacility with which it' may be assembled and operated, and it will'also'be obvious that my invention is susceptible of some change andmodification-without departing from the principles and spirit thereof,and" for this reason I do not wish to be understood as limiting myselfto the precise arrangement and formation of the several parts hereinshown in carry- 4 ing out my invention in practice, except as claimed.

I claim:

In a land measuring attachment for a vehicle, the combination whichcomprises a wheel carrying spindle, a vertically disposed C-shaped axlemounting yoke from which the spindle extends, an extension plateextended over the spindle and positioned against the outerface oftheyoke, an L'-shape mountingmember having a vertical leg positionedagainst the face of the said extension plate and a horizontal legextended across one side of the yoke, an inner plate positioned againstthe-inner face'of the yoke, bolts extended through the said inner plateand vertical leg of the mounting member clamping the said mountingmember to the yoke, an-arm pivotally mounted in the said mounting memberand inner plate, a counter mounted on the said horizontal leg of themounting member, a resilient rod connecting the pivotally mounted arm tothe counter, a" wheel mounting hub having a' flange on theinner end 3positioned around the said spindle, an extension hub having a flange onthe outer end correspond--- ing with the flange of the wheel mountinghub and having an annular plate'on the inner end parallel to and spacedfrom the flange, andalso spaced from the said extension" platepositioned against the outer face of the yoke, bolts securing the flangeof the extensionhub" to the flange 0f the wheel mountinghub, and a studcarried by the annular plate of the extension'huband positioned toengage the said arm pivotally mounted in the L-shape' mounting memberand inner plate for actuatingthe said counter with each revolution of-the said wheel mounting'hub;

FRANK J. COCHNAR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record. in the flle ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES: PATENTS

